Night World : Huntress Chapter 6

Me?Hugh nodded.Im supposed to full point the annul of the realism? How?First, I ought to promise you that its not just me that thinks entirely this ab turn come on the millennium. Its not even CircleDaybreak that believes it. Its the wickedness macrocosm Council, Jez.The joint Council? Witches and vampires?Hugh nodded once to a greater extent. They had a macroscopic meeting about it this summer. And they dug up some oldprophecies about whats red to happen this time.Like?Hugh looked sparingly self-conscious. Heres ace. It used to rhyme in the original, I think, moreover this is thetranslation. He took a breath and quoted slowlyIn blue fire, the final shabbiness is banished. In blood, the final price is paid.Great, Jez thought. Whose blood? still Hugh was termination on.Four to contain amidst the light and theshadow,Four of blue fire, power in their blood. innate(p) in the year of the blind Maidens vision Four less nonpareil and only(a) and single(a) anddarkness t riumphs.Jez blinked slowly. Whats blue fire?Nobody bangs.Four to stand between the light and the shadow Meaning to hold despatch the end of the world?Thats what the Council thinks. They think it wets that four people discombobulate been born, four fruity Powerswhore going to be instrumental in what incessantlys coming, whatever battle or disaster thats going to supplantus. Those four preempt stop the end of the world-but only if on the whole of them fight to get goingher.Four less wiz and darkness triumphs, Jez said.Right. And thats w here you come in.Sorry, I dont think Im adept of them. Hugh smiled. Thats not what I meant. The occurrence is, someone more or less here has already reported exposeing a unreasonable Power. Circle Daybreak intercepted a message from him to the Council saying that sinehand the Wild Power over to them if they consume it worth his while. otherwise hell just sit tight until theyredesperate enough to tick to his terms.Jez had a sinking lo oking. She said one word. Who?Hughs musing was knowing and regretful. Its one of your old conclave, Jez. Morgead Blackthorn.Jez shut her eyes.Yeah, that good for you(p)ed like Morgead, trying to shake down the Night World Council. Only he was crazyand nervy enough to do that. He was stubborn, too-perfectly capable of onlyowting disaster come if he didntget his way. provided of all the people in the world, wherefore did it have to be him? And how had he found a WildPower, anyway?Hugh was speaking again softly. You can see why we remove you. Somebody has to get to him and findout who the Wild Power is-and youre the only one who stands a fortune of doing that.Jez pushed hair off her face and breathed slowly, trying to think.I dont need to tell you how dangerous it is, Hugh said, looking into the distance again. And I dontwant to pick out you to do it. In fact, if youre smart, youll tell me to get lost right now.Jez couldnt tell him to get lost What I dont understand is why we cant just let the Council take c atomic number 18 ofit. Theyll want the Wild Powers bad, and they have a jackpot more resources.Hugh glanced back at her, startled. His gray eyeswere wide with an expression that Jez had never seen earlier. Then he smiled, and it was an incrediblysad smile.Thats just what we cant do. Youre right, the Council wants the Wild Powers. provided not so they can fightthe end of the world. Jez they only want them so they can land them.That was when Jez realized what his expression was. It was ennoble regret for innocence-her innocence.She couldnt believe how stupid she had been.Oh, Goddess, she said slowly.Hugh nodded. They want it to happen. At to the lowest degree the vampires do. If the human world ends-well, thatstheir chance, isnt it? For thousands of years the Night spate have had to hide, to personify in the shadowswhile the serviceman spread all over the world. But the Council wants that to modify.The reason Jez had been so slow was that it was grueling for her to hypothesize anybody actually absentminded tobring on the Apocalypse. But of course it made sense. Theyre willing to hazard being destroyedthemselves, she whispered.They figure that whatever happens, itll be worse on the world, since the humans dont know its coming. Hell, some of the Night People think theyre whats coming. huntsman Redfern is saying thatvampires are going to wipe out and enslave the humans and that after that the Night World is going toreign.Jez felt a newfangled chill. Hunter Redfern. Her ancestor, who was over five hundred years old but lookedabout thirty. He was bad, and he practically ran the Council.Great, she muttered. So my familys going to destroy the world.Hugh gave her a bleak smile. Hunter says the Old Powers are rising to make vampires stronger so theycan take over. And the scary thing is, hes right. Like I said before, the Night People are getting stronger,developing more powers. Nobody knows why. But most of the vampire s on the Council seem to believeHunter.So we dont have much time, Jez said. We have to get the Wild Power before Morgead makes a dealwith the Night World.Right. Circle Daybreak is fixing up a safe place to keep the Wild Powers until we get all four. And theCouncil knows were doing it-thats believably why that ghoul was following me. Theyre watching us. Imjust woeful I led it here, he added absently, with a worried look around the room.Doesnt matter. Hes not telling anybody anything.No. Thanks to you. But well meet someplace different next time. I cant endanger your family. Helooked back at her. Jez, if the Night World manages to turn thumbs down even one of the Wild Powers-well, if youbelieve the prophecy, its all over.Jez understood now. She still had questions, but they could wait. one thing was scant(p) in her mind.Ill do it. I have to.Hugh said very quietly, argon you sure?Well, somebody has to. And you were right Im the only one who can deal Morgead.The truth was that sh e thought nobody could handle Morgead-but she certainly had a give out chance thanany Circle Daybreaker. Of course, she wouldnt survive the denomination Even if she managed to luxate theWild Power out from under Morgeads nose, hed hunt her down and kill her for itThat was irrelevantHe hates me, and I hate him, but at least I know him, she said out loud.There was a tranquillity and she realized that Hugh was looking at her oddly. You think he hates you?Of course. All we ever did was fightHugh smiled very faintly-an Old Soul look. I see.Whats that supposed to mean? It means-I dont think he hates you, Jez. peradventure he has strong emotions for you, but from what Ive comprehend I dont think hate is one of them.Jez shook her head. You dont understand. He was forever and a day gunning for me. And if he found out Im halfhuman-well, that would be the end. He hates humans worse than anything. But I think I can put on him foras long as it takes to get the Wild Power.Hugh nodded, but he didnt look happy. His eyes were bruised and tired. If you can pull it off, youllsave a tummy of lives.He knows, too, Jez thought. That Ill die doing this.It was some still that he cared-and morecomfort that he didnt understand why she was doing it. Sure, she wanted to save lives. But thither wassomething else.The Council had tried to mess with Hugh. Theyd sent a stinking ghoul after him. They would probablysend something different tomorrow-certainly, theyd keep trying to kill him.And for that, Jez was going to wipe the floor with them. Hugh wasnt any kind of fighter. He couldntdefend himself. He shouldnt be a target.She realized that Hugh was still looking at her, with trouble oneself in his eyes. She smiled to show him that shewasnt afraid of dying.Its a family affair, she told him-and that was true, too. Hunters mygreat-great-great-great-great-grandfather. Its only right that I stop him. And if anything happens tome-well, one Redfern less is probably a blessing to the world. And that was the give-up the ghost part of the truth. She came from a tainted family. No matter what she did, who she saved, or how hard she tried, there would always be vampire blood running in her veins. She was apotential danger to humanity by her very existence.But Hugh was looking horrified. Dont you ever say that He stared at her for another instant and thereforetook her by the shoulders, squeezing. Jez, youre one of the best people I know. What you did beforelast year is-Is part of me, Jez said. She was trying not to feel his speedy grip th rough out her T-shirt, trying not to showthat his little torment sent a shock throughher entire body. And nothing can change that. I know what I am.Hugh shook her slightly. Jez-And right now, I have to get rid of that ghoul. And youd better be getting home.For a moment she thought he was going to shake her again thusly he slowly let go of her. Youre officiallyaccepting the assignment? The way he said it sounded as if he were giving h er one last chance not to.Yes. He nodded. He didnt lease how she plan on getting back into a gang that shed abandoned, or gettinginformation from Morgead, who hated her. Jez knew why. He simply trusted that she could do itWhen you know something, call this number. He dug in a different carrier bag and handed her a square ofpaper like a personal line of credit card. Ill give you a location where I can meet you-someplace outside(a) from here. Weshouldnt talk about anything on the phone.Jez took the card. Thanks.Please be careful, Jez.Yes. Can I keep the articles?He snorted. Sure. Then he gave her one of those sad Old-Soul smiles. You probably dont needthem, though. Just look around. Watch the news. You can see it all happening out there.Were going to stop it, Jez said. She reconsidered. Were going to try.Jez had a line of work the next morning. The problem was Claire.They were supposed to drive to school together, to ensure that Jez didnt lop off school. But Jez had to cutscho ol to go find Morgead. She didnt want to imagine the kind of trouble that was going to get her inwith Uncle Jim and Aunt Nanami-but it was all-important(a) to get to Morgead as soon as possible. She couldntafford to waste time.At the first major stoplight-and there werent a lot of them in Clayton-she smacked her os frontale with herpalm.I forgot my chemistry book She unfastened her seat belt and slid out of the Audi just as the lightoff green. You go ahead she shouted to Claire, slamming the door and leaning in the open window.Ill catch up to you.Claires expression showed her temperature was reaching the boiling point. Are you crazy? Get in Illdrive backYoull be late. Go on without me. She made a little fluttery encouraging motion with her fingers.One of the three cars behind Claire honked.Claire weak her mouth and shut it again. Her eyes were shooting sparks. You did this on purpose Iknow youre up to something, Jez, and Im going to find out-Honk. Honk.Jez stepped back and waved fairbye.And Claire drove off, as Jez had known she would. Claire couldnt stand the peer pressure of cars tellingher to get moving.Jez turned and began to jog for home, in a smooth, steady, ground-eating lope. When she got there, she wasnt even breathing hard. She opened the service department and picked up a long, slimbundle that had been concealed in a corner. Then she turned to her bike.Besides Hugh, it was the love of her life. A Harley. An 883 Sportster hugger. Just xxvii buttestall and eighty-seven inches long, a lean, light, mean machine. She loved its classic simplicity, its shabbyclean lines, its spare body. She thought of it as her steel and chrome thoroughbred. this instant she strapped the long bundle diagonally on her back, where it balanced nicely despite its odd size.She put on a dark full-face helmet and swung a leg over the motorcycle. A moment later she was roaringaway, question out of Clayton toward San Francisco.She enjoyed the ride, even though she knew it might be her last one. Maybe because of that. It was adazzling end-of-summer day, with a sky of September blue and a pure-white sun. The air that parted forJez was warm.How can people ride in cages? she thought, twisting the throttle to shoot past a station wagon. Whatgood are cars? Youre completely isolated from your surroundings. You cant hear or smell anythingoutside you cant feel wind or Power or a slight change in the temperature. You cant jump out to fight atan instants notice. You certainly cant stake somebody at high speed while leaning out of a car window.You could do it from a bike, though. If you were fast enough, you could skewer somebody as youroared by, like a knight with a lance. She and Morgead had fought that way once.And by chance will again, she thought, and flashed a grim smile into the wind.The sky remained blue as she continued west, instead of clouding up as she approached the ocean. Itwas so clear that from Oakland she could see the entire bay and the sky line of San Francisco. The tallbuildings looked startlingly close.She was divergence her own world and entering Morgeads.It was something she didnt do often. San Francisco was an hour and fifteen minutes away fromClayton-assuming there was no traffic. It might as well have been in another state. Clayton was a tinyrural town, largely cows, with a few decent houses and one pumpkin farm. As far as Jez knew, the NightWorld didnt know it existed. It wasnt the kind of place Night People cared about.Which was why shed managed to hide there for so long.But now she was forefront straight for the heart of the fire. As she crossed the Bay Bridge and reachedthe city, she was sagaciously aware of how vulnerable she was. A year ago Jez had broken the laws of thegang by disappearing. If any gang member saw her, they had the right to kill her.Idiot. Nobody can recognize you. Thats why you wear the full-face helmet. Thats why you keep yourhair up. Thats why you dont custom-paint the bike.She wa s still hyper-alert as she cruised the streets heading for one of the citys most unsavory districts.There. She felt a jolt at the smoke of a familiar building. Tan, blocky, and unlovely, it rose to three storiesplus an irregular roof. Jez squinted up at the roof without taking off her helmet. Then she went and stood casually against the rough concrete wall, near the rusty metal intercom. Shewaited until a couple of girls urbane like artists came up and got buzzed in by one of the tenants. Thenshe free herself from the wall and calmly followed them.She couldnt let Morgead know she was coming.Hed kill her without waiting to ask questions if he got the jump on her. Her only chance was to jump himfirst, and then make him listen.The building was even uglier inside than it was outside, with empty echoing stairwells and facelessindustrial-sized hallways. But Jez found her heart beating faster and something like yearning twisting in herchest. This place might be hideous, but it was besi des freedom. Each one of the giant rooms behind the metaldoors was rented by somebody who didnt care about carpets and windows, but wanted a big emptyspace where they could be alone and do exactly what they wanted.It was mostly starving artists here, people who needed large studios. Some of the doors were painted ingemlike colors and rough textures. Most had industrial-sized locks on them.I dont miss it, Jez told herself. But every corner brought a shock of memory. Morgead had lived herefor years, ever since his acquire ran off with some vampire from Europe. And Jez had practically livedhere, too, because it had been gang headquarters.We had some good times.No. She shook her head slightly to break off the thought and continued on her way, slipping silentlythrough the corridors, going deeper and deeper into the building. At last she got to a place where therewas no sound except the humming of the naked fluorescent lights on the ceiling. The walls were closertogether here. There was a sense of isolation, of being far from the rest of the world.And one narrow staircase going up.Jez paused, listened a moment, then, keeping her eyes on the staircase, removed the long bundle fromher back. She unwrapped it carefully, revealing a bugger off that was a work of art. It was just over four feetlong and an inch in diameter. The wood was deep glossy red with irregular nigrify markings that looked alittle like tiger stripes or hieroglyphics.Snakewood. One of the hardest woods in the world, dense and strong, but with just the right nub ofresilience for a fighting stick. It made a striking and various(prenominal) weapon.There was one other unusual thing about it. bit sticks were usually blunt at either end, to allow theperson dimension it to get a grip. This one had one blunt end and one that tapered to anangled, narrow tip. Like a spear. The point was hard as iron and extremely sharp.It could punch right through clothing to penetrate a vampire heart.Jez held the stick in both hands for a moment, looking down at it. Then she straightened, and, holding itin a light grip ready for action, she began up the stairs.Ready or not, Morgead, here I come.